PEOPLE have started to spot little-known boiler codes that reveal why it’s not working – and it’s easy to fix.
The cold weather could be causing pipes to freeze or other boiler malfunctions – but there’s a trick to help to keep track.
Boilers are one of the most used items in our homes and with the chillier months kicking in, we’re all trying to make sure they work efficiently.
The winter weather is something that could affect the pipes outside that feed into your house – particularly if it’s sub-zero temperatures or if there’s snow.
So you’ll want to keep on track of your boiler and make sure it’s working properly.
Some eagle-eyed billpayers are noticing subtle codes on their boilers which tell them whether it’s broken.
Posting to Facebook group Energy Saving Tips, one member shared a tip they’d spotted elsewhere, claiming you’d see a code depending on which kind of boiler you have.
They wrote: “If your Baxi boiler is displaying E28 or E133, or Vaillant boiler displaying F28 or F29, or Worcester showing an EA fault, the first thing to check in this cold climate is the condenser pipe which may be frozen.
“If you have a pipe that goes from your boiler to outside and runs to a waste pipe externally, the water in the pipe may have frozen and subsequently is stopping your boiler from working properly.”
Others found this useful in the comments, with one posting: “What a good tip – tried and tested.”
Another agreed: “Yes. First point to look for on a failure.”
If you have a Vaillant boiler, it has confirmed you will either see an F28 or an F29 code if your pipe is frozen.
However, neither Baxi or Worcester have yet confirmed which code would appear on their boilers.
When asked, Which? said each type of boiler will come up with a different code if it’s broken, and you’ll need to dig out your manual to find out what that is.
Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor said: “Two of the three most common boiler problems are lost pressure and a condensate pipe freezing.
“You can repressurise your boiler yourself, and dethaw the condensate pipe if you’re confident but never remove your boiler’s casing yourself.
“For this, you need to call a Gas Safe engineer.
“If your boiler is playing up and you want to diagnose the problem, your first port of call should be your boiler’s manual.
“It will explain what its fault codes mean, and let you know whether you can fix the issue yourself or need to hire a trained heating engineer.
“If your boiler breaks down or develops a fault during your guarantee period, contact the manufacturer.”
According to The Eco Experts, it could cost at least £90 to get your boiler repaired when it’s broken depending on what’s wrong.
Of course, this depends on who your supplier is.
And it may be less if it’s caused by the weather outside, but you don’t want to pay someone to have a look if you can prevent it yourself.
How can I prevent it from breaking?
It’s good to keep handy household items around just in case you need to take care of some cold spots, like hot water bottles.
They can be good for places next to your pipes outside if it’s particularly cold.
Otherwise, you should insulate your pipes – you can pop foam tubes over pipes in rooms you don’t want to heat up – such as the attic or basement – as well as external pipes.
This will also stop them from overworking and potentially breaking.
You can just use a long swimming float if you’re not sure – or call your local DIY store to ask if they have any.
You can buy these for as little as £2.99 from Amazon – just watch out for any delivery costs.
We’ve also rounded up the best ones you can buy here to help keep your home warm without the extra-pricey heating bills.
Also, neglecting to bleed your radiators could force them to work harder and cause problems with your boiler.
This could happen if they develop cold spots, where air gets trapped inside.
To fix that, you just need a small key which normally costs under £2 from any hardware store.
All you need to do is twist the radiator key slowly anti-clockwise on the square valve you’ll find on the side.
If you hear a hissing sound, it means the trapped air is escaping – once this stops, close the valve to stop water from coming out.
In other news, there could be another reason why your boiler is showing – and this time it could cut your energy bills.
